It has been an ongoing problem in the use of computer systems to control the switching on and off of peripheral devices, such as monitors, printers and modems. One aspect of the problem is the inconvenience and the expenditure of valuable time in individually operating the power switch of each peripheral device, whether on the device or remotely located therefrom. Another aspect of the problem involves a solution heretofore attempted by which a master power switch has been utilized to control the energization and/or deenergization of all the peripheral devices simultaneously. This solution, however, has a serious drawback in that it often causes undefined logic states on the I/O busses of the simultaneously switched peripheral devices, although this drawback is somewhat mitigated if one device quiesces before the others.